Aztecs in DC: Blogging from the Inauguration

Aztecs:

It was quite a day!

3:30 am alarm went off.

4:30 am Metro to The National Mall (with 200,000 others at this hour)

5:00 am at Lincoln's Waffle Shop (we ate George Washington Waffles, eggs and bacon). Ford Theater was across the street from the Waffle Shop. On our way to breakfast vendors were setting up to make a profit on Obama Trinkets. Buttons were the most popular item this year.

5:15 am Fortunate for us we met up with three Special Operations Bomb Unit Officers who befriended Blake. Their bomb sniffing dog, Nedy, was a busy guy in the metro this morning. But he took time to take a picture with us.

6:00 am Off the Metro start walking to the line for the TSA Security Checkpoint before entering our ticketed section. Just as we got off the metro and came up to the street, we were sandwiched, shoulder to shoulder. At one point I got pushed from behind, legs taken out from under me and I fell flat on my face.

7:00 am Still in line awaiting TSA, getting closer to the entrance.

8:00 am Still in line awaiting TSA, getting closer. A man a few steps away collapses and emergency medics are called in.

9:00 am Still in line awaiting TSA, getting much closer.

9:55 am Arrive at TSA, get searched (there was a girls line and boys line, undo your coats, pat you down and look through your bags. Think about that how doing this for over 1 million visitors.

9:55 am - 11:30 am Await the Swearing-In Ceremony (The average temperature during that time was 27 degrees)

11:30 am to 12:30 pm - Swearing In Ceremony! We had a great view.

1:00 pm - Arrive at Waterford Metro Green Line Station where we sat next to State Senator, Gene Davis, from Utah and former State Senator, Paul Rogers. Senator Davis was expressing his frustration about not being able to get into the ceremony, AND, he had a ticket. Wonder who will be receiving that phone call regarding a state senator not getting into the ceremony?

1:30 pm - Tour Washington DC a little before returning to hotel for some much-needed rest.

I hope you enjoy the pictures. More postings to come!